Spring 1999: Table of Contents

"Lights! Camera! Action!"
Do dramatic elements in documentaries deceive the audience or do they enhance storytelling? Do viewers really care?
by Lisa An

60 Degrees of Separation
The Arctic is North America's biggest beat in terms of land mass. Veteran reporter David Staples describes what it's like to work as a foreign correspondent without ever leaving Canada
by David Staples

An Incredible Hodgepodge of Weirdness
The New Yorker's Malcolm Gladwell has become a master of melding argumentation with descriptive narrative reportage. At 35, the native of Elmira, Ontario, has options from Hollywood, a million-dollar book deal, and — the key to his success — a famously short attention span
by Timothy J. Hunt

Battle for Survival
Is the wildlife journalist facing the same fate as the whooping crane and the bowhead whale?
by Tanya Coulthard

Black Ties
After Conrad Black became head of the Southam family, Albertans feared the loss of the editorial independence of their two main dailies. They needn't worry—so long as the kids continue to earn their keep
by Lisa Hepfner

Driving Miss Dempsey
From cub reporter to globe-trotting columnist, Lotta Dempsey conquered a man's world, blazed a trail for all women, and didn't even notice
by Ryan Jennings

Ethics On Ice
CBC Sports rarely does any real hockey journalism. Even when it tries, it trips
by Aaron Kylie

Gotta Getta Guest
Broadcast news chase producers use every weapon in their arsenal to bag their prey: big game names like Oprah Winfrey and Benjamin Netanyahu or small fry interviews like little Amanda at the science fair. The pace is hectic, the deadlines imminent, and the hunting season never closes
by Charmaine Noronha

Johnny-Come-Lately
After years of declining circulation and morale The Vancouver Sun has gained a stronger voice and vision under the guidance of editor-in-chief John Cruickshank. He has new reporters, new section heads, and a new design—almost everything he needs to make the paper great. So why is it only good?
by Raizel Robin

Manufacturing Concern
For a century The Toronto Star's social policy reporting has had the same formula: two parts human drama to one part institutional failure. The result is the "sob story," and the fact that Canada's largest newspaper can't—or won't—dig deeper is a crying shame
by Trista Vincent

On a Left Wing and a Prayer
Jim Lorrimer wants to remake the Canadian Forum into a Harper's of the north. Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy flight
by Rachel Pulfer

Poll Position
Freelance reporter Harvey Schachter has a better way to give pollsters' numbers credibility (19 times out of 20)
by Julia Allin

Print-À-Porter
Fashion writer David Livingstone takes the cattiness out of the catwalk and discovers the cultural significance in an industry obsessed by what's hot and what's not
by Natasha Royt

Saturday's Child
Paul Tough is young, smart, and worked hard for a living in U.S. journalism. Now he's come home with a new vision for Saturday Night: fine writing combined with a 'zine sensibility
by Phillipe Devos

We're Here, We're Queer. But Are the Dailies Used to It?
Years ago they ignored homosexual issues. Today they've crossed the thin pink line. But how far have they gone? Our correspondent surveys the mainstream papers and comes up with some surprises.
by Kate Barker

What Would You Do?
Imagine that you're a wine critic and a Canadian vintner came to you with a $1000 proposition
by Joanne Lee

Whine and Cheese
Noted wine critic Margaret Swaine takes a tongue-in-cheek look behind the scenes on the tasting circuit—way behind the scenes
by Margaret Swaine